FORD VEHICLE BASICS

Battery Service

Battery Service

Battery Service

Preventive battery maintenance is important. If you’ve got a dead battery, you’re stranded. That’s why it’s important to keep your battery free of corrosion and to have it checked regularly by the people who know your vehicle’s electrical system inside and out at your Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

You’ll help keep your battery at its very best, and our technicians can spot battery troubles before they become serious.

Your battery may be worn or damaged if you:

See corrosion or damage to the battery cables or terminals

See worn drive belts

See that your battery is bulging or deformed

Feel loose battery cables or terminals

Feel the battery is able to wiggle or move in its mounting

Constantly experience charging or electrical system problems

Experience trouble or difficulty getting your engine to start

If any of these symptoms occur, you should get your battery tested at your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership immediately.

What Happens When You Come In To The Dealership For Battery Service?

You’ve just brought your vehicle in to the service department for a problem with your battery. Now what? A Service Advisor will ask a technician to diagnose the problem.

The Service Advisor will then take you through the technician’s diagnosis, step by step. If it shows that your battery needs service, there’s no better place to have it done than right there at the dealership.

Once you’ve authorized the services we recommend for your vehicle, we’ll get you back on the road as quickly as possible. And you can rest easy knowing:

Batteries are designed specifically for your vehicle

Technicians have the most up-to-date electrical system training for your vehicle

The Right Battery

If your vehicle needs a new battery, the service experts at the dealership will consider these factors to make sure you’re getting a battery that’s right for you. For example, you don’t want a battery that will have trouble starting if you live in a cold climate. You also don’t want to overpay for cold cranking power if the area you live in is warm all year.

Consider these factors when purchasing a battery:

Battery group size

Cold cranking amps (CCA)

Reserve capacity (RC)

Battery date code

Warranty

Original equipment vs. aftermarket

Battery group size

Check your owner’s guide to find the battery group sizes that will fit in your vehicle. This is the physical size of the battery, and most vehicles will allow for more than one group size.

Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)

CCA determines how well your battery will supply ample power for 30 seconds at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit or -18 degrees Celsius. In general, use the number recommended by your owner’s guide or the CCA of the battery that was originally installed on your vehicle. Beware of batteries that only display hot cranking amps (HCA) or cranking amps (CA). These batteries might not be as powerful as you think and may not perform when the temperature drops.

Reserve Capacity (RC)

RC measures how many minutes the battery can supply power before falling below the minimum voltage level after the alternator has failed. In general, the higher the number, the better. This is an important factor to consider if you’ll be operating electrical equipment on your vehicle while the engine is off.

Battery Date Code

Be sure to ask the dealership for the freshest battery possible. A battery that’s been on the shelf for an extended period can lose some of its charge, and might not perform the first time it’s used.

If you do get a battery that’s been on the shelf for a long time, it usually regains its full potential and long-term performance by being charged in the vehicle or with an external charger.

Warranty

Make sure you’re comfortable with the warranty. Look at how long the free replacement period is, and if there is any coverage on a prorated basis beyond that point. Motorcraft® battery warranties are honored at all Ford or Lincoln Dealerships, so you don’t have to worry about being protected, no matter where you are.

Motorcraft® Tested Tough® PLUS

18-month free replacement period*

84-month limited warranty*

Economical, reliable performance

Motorcraft® Tested Tough® MAX

Authorized as original equipment replacement for all Ford Motor Company vehicles

Battery Service

Preventive battery maintenance is important. If you’ve got a dead battery, you’re stranded. That’s why it’s important to keep your battery free of corrosion and to have it checked regularly by the people who know your vehicle’s electrical system inside and out at your Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

You’ll help keep your battery at its very best, and our technicians can spot battery troubles before they become serious.

Your battery may be worn or damaged if you:

See corrosion or damage to the battery cables or terminals

See worn drive belts

See that your battery is bulging or deformed

Feel loose battery cables or terminals

Feel the battery is able to wiggle or move in its mounting

Constantly experience charging or electrical system problems

Experience trouble or difficulty getting your engine to start

If any of these symptoms occur, you should get your battery tested at your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership immediately.

What Happens When You Come In To The Dealership For Battery Service?

You’ve just brought your vehicle in to the service department for a problem with your battery. Now what? A Service Advisor will ask a technician to diagnose the problem.

The Service Advisor will then take you through the technician’s diagnosis, step by step. If it shows that your battery needs service, there’s no better place to have it done than right there at the dealership.

Once you’ve authorized the services we recommend for your vehicle, we’ll get you back on the road as quickly as possible. And you can rest easy knowing:

Batteries are designed specifically for your vehicle

Technicians have the most up-to-date electrical system training for your vehicle

The Right Battery

If your vehicle needs a new battery, the service experts at the dealership will consider these factors to make sure you’re getting a battery that’s right for you. For example, you don’t want a battery that will have trouble starting if you live in a cold climate. You also don’t want to overpay for cold cranking power if the area you live in is warm all year.

Consider these factors when purchasing a battery:

Battery group size

Cold cranking amps (CCA)

Reserve capacity (RC)

Battery date code

Warranty

Original equipment vs. aftermarket

Battery group size

Check your owner’s guide to find the battery group sizes that will fit in your vehicle. This is the physical size of the battery, and most vehicles will allow for more than one group size.

Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)

CCA determines how well your battery will supply ample power for 30 seconds at a temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit or -18 degrees Celsius. In general, use the number recommended by your owner’s guide or the CCA of the battery that was originally installed on your vehicle. Beware of batteries that only display hot cranking amps (HCA) or cranking amps (CA). These batteries might not be as powerful as you think and may not perform when the temperature drops.

Reserve Capacity (RC)

RC measures how many minutes the battery can supply power before falling below the minimum voltage level after the alternator has failed. In general, the higher the number, the better. This is an important factor to consider if you’ll be operating electrical equipment on your vehicle while the engine is off.

Battery Date Code

Be sure to ask the dealership for the freshest battery possible. A battery that’s been on the shelf for an extended period can lose some of its charge, and might not perform the first time it’s used.

If you do get a battery that’s been on the shelf for a long time, it usually regains its full potential and long-term performance by being charged in the vehicle or with an external charger.

Warranty

Make sure you’re comfortable with the warranty. Look at how long the free replacement period is, and if there is any coverage on a prorated basis beyond that point. Motorcraft® battery warranties are honored at all Ford or Lincoln Dealerships, so you don’t have to worry about being protected, no matter where you are.

Motorcraft® Tested Tough® PLUS

18-month free replacement period*

84-month limited warranty*

Economical, reliable performance

Motorcraft® Tested Tough® MAX

Authorized as original equipment replacement for all Ford Motor Company vehicles